The present invention relates to a multi-seat bicycle, and more particularly, to a mutually linkable bicycle that a plurality of single-seat bicycles are consecutively connected to each other in tandem, thereby being selectively used as a multi-seat bicycle or a normal single-seat bicycle which is separated from another single-seat bicycle.
There are various kinds of single-seat bicycles and multi-seat bicycles which are eco-friendly riding means traveling by a rider's power without any fuel.
As an example, a multi-seat bicycle which has a plurality of saddles and pedals disposed at predetermined portions of a long frame so that many riders can ride on the bicycle has been disclosed. As another example, the patent reference 1 discloses a single-seat bicycle that can be used as a bicycle built for two riders when a half frame having only a rear wheel is connected to the rear of the single-seat bicycle. Moreover, the patent reference 2 discloses a multi-seat bicycle that two single-seat bicycles are connected to each other in the longitudinal direction or in the transverse direction via an attachment.
As another example, the patent reference 3 discloses single-seat bicycles that can be transformed into a multi-seat bicycle by being connected to each other in tandem.
Such a bicycle is apparently identical with the normal single-seat bicycle because having a front fork, a head tube, a rear fork, a top tube, a seat tube and a down tube are arranged at predetermined portions of a frame. However, in order to use the bicycle as a multi-seat bicycle, a plurality of the single-seat bicycles are arranged in tandem, all single-seat bicycles except the foremost bicycle allow the front wheel separated from the front fork, and then, each of the front forks are axially supported on the rear fork of the former bicycle to be connected with one another so that the plurality of the bicycles are sequentially connected to one another in a line.
However, the front fork of the bicycle extends forward obliquely, and hence, it is impossible that the multi-seat bicycle travels normally. That is, during travelling, the front fork of the latter bicycle always moves together with the rear fork of the former bicycle. In this instance, during steering, there is little change in the rear fork of the former bicycle, but the front fork of the latter bicycle is changed in slope direction. Therefore, it is impossible that the multi-seat bicycle travels normally because the frame connected with the front fork receives torsion power acting in the counter-steering direction.
The above-mentioned problem has been solved by the patent reference 4 that has been proposed by the same inventor as the present invention. In the patent reference 4, a frame of the bicycle is divided into a front part which is connected to a handle and a rear part which is connected to a rear fork, clutch means is interposed between the front part and the rear part and a synchronizer is mounted between the front fork and the front part of the frame so that the front part and the rear part of the frame are connected to each other into one or provide an intermittent action to separate the front part from the rear part for relative rotation, and the relative rotation is automatically controlled by the synchronizer according to an steering angle of the bicycle. However, the bicycle has a disadvantage in that it is difficult to manufacture because the structure of the clutch means is very complicated.